JetBlue Giving Refunds To Customers Trapped For 7 Hours On Tarmac

JetBlue is giving refunds to the passengers who were stranded on the tarmac in Hartford Connecticut for seven hours.

The AP reports that on one of the planes, the flight ran out of snacks and water. The toilets stopped working.

JetBlue gave the passengers various reasons for why the plane had been diverted, such as equipment failure, low visibility, power outages, de-icing, an emergency on the other plane, and the airport not being able to handle very many international flights.

After the passengers finally escaped from the plane, power outages in the area hampered their ability to book hotels. Some sleep on cots or chairs in the airport. When they woke up, they were forced to stand in line for hours simply to learn which flight they were rebooked on.

Reached for comment, JetBlue told the NYT that a “confluence of events” had caused the flight diversions and tarmac delays.

The New York Times reports the Transportation Department’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division is investigating the incident.

At least four jets strand Conn. passengers for hours [AP]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.